Chikungunya Virus: Information for States and Territories

Chikungunya fever is an acute illness associated with severe joint pain and fever. The disease is caused by chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arthropod-borne virus that is transmitted to humans primarily via the bite of an infected mosquito. According to CDC, we may see an increase in the spread of the virus in the continental United States due to travelers visiting or returning to the U.S. from affected areas in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The first case of the disease being transmitted on U.S. soil was confirmed in Puerto Rico in May 2014.

Visit ArboNET for the current number of cases reported by U.S. states and territories. For more background, please also see fact sheets from CDC below.

Chikungunya Surveillance and Response Plans

Listed below are sample guidelines for monitoring mosquito activity and virus transmission risk levels, incorporating surveillance data into risk assessment models, and providing state agencies with guidance on a decision support system to respond to a chikungunya outbreak.

Preparedness and Response for Chikungunya Virus Introduction in the AmericasPAHO/CDC Guidance for State and Territorial Health DepartmentsThese guidelines were developed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and CDC and offer guidance on how to detect an outbreak of chikunguya, conduct pertinent epidemiological investigations, and prevent or mitigate the spread of the disease. Issued 2011.

Resources from State and Territorial Health Agencies

Travelers Press ReleaseArkansas Department of HealthArkansas recently reported its first case of CHIKV in a patient who had traveled to Saint Martin in the Caribbean. This press release warns individuals and groups traveling to the Caribbean to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

Provider AdvisoryRhode Island Department of Health
Rhode Island recently reported two travel-associated cases of CHIKV involving travelers who returned from the Dominican Republic. This provider advisory gives information and guidance on reporting CHIKV by local physicians to the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Resources from ASTHO

Communicating about Effective Mosquito Control
Provides model fact sheets, communication strategies, and useful templates for collaborating with policymakers and members of the public to develop and support scalable mosquito control programs. Issued 2008.

This information page was developed by ASTHO to help state and territorial health officials and state health agencies stay abreast of a developing public health concern in the form of background information, pertinent materials, and ongoing updates. ASTHO staff will continue to monitor this situation. Health agencies may contact Abe Kulungara, Director, Environmental Health, at akulungara@astho.org with questions regarding this topic. Press inquiries should be made to Scott Briscoe, Senior Director, Communications and Marketing, at sbriscoe@astho.org.